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Story:Kings of Strife/Part 45
Part Forty-Five There was an instant of utter stillness when memory returned to the Crimson Death. He looked up from his seated vigil as a gentle gust of cold wind blew past his cheek, as if teasingly pawing at him. As soon as he realized that he had regained a long-lost instant of time in his memory, Taoris mentally grasped at it – and it disappeared, as ephemeral as the wind that brought it to him. He lowered his head again and sighed, his breath misting and fading in front of him in the air. The memory was of a face, he knew. Soft yet angular; looking up at him with twinkling eyes and undisguised admiration. Love, perhaps. The face had brought about an instant feeling of warmth, but for what? He did not remember. The face’s owner, the origin of the face, what the warmth meant, he did not remember any of it. He had not remembered for more than seventeen years. ‘I do not dream anymore,’ Gin Taoris thought, more as a reminder than an observation. His body needed much less sleep than a normal person’s, but when he did rest, he met only darkness. This was as much a part of his curse as any other part of him. ‘I have become my curse and nothing more.’ Another eastbound wind blew past Taoris, and he stood slowly. The winds were starting to blow his tattered, battle-damaged red cloak around his shoulders. He stood in place for a moment before looking behind him, to the west, to the country of Shorica. ‘That’s odd.’ For almost fifty days, the wind had been pushing to the west, constantly blowing snow and cold into his face. The winter chill had always been working to edge him backwards and rob him of his coverings. Now the winter came from his back. A sign, he would have thought, if Taoris was a suspicious man. He wasn’t. The Crimson Death sighed and started to walk to the west, towards the ruined town behind him and its crumbling stone towers. Although the unease in his breast was purely fantastic and foolish superstition, it would not hurt for him to reach high ground and look around. All around him were corpses. Taoris had not been farther than two miles from the border between Shorica and Inusia, and almost all of those two miles were filled with dead men and women covered in blood and blue mantles. In fifty days, he had only been pushed back from the border by two miles, and in the course of those fifty days of defense, the village of Troia had fallen to complete ruin. He had not been ordered to defend the Shorican borders, nor had Vainia ever mentioned such a thing to him, but Taoris knew it was his job to complete. ‘She needed the space. I could not help her there in the city.’ Warfare was the only thing the Crimson Death was good at, and it was the best way he could help his queen. At least until she decided to become a queen again. ‘All she needs is time.’ He had sworn to hold the border for as long as was needed, and he planned to make good on his promise. His blades had shattered over the near-constant fighting, but every enemy dropped a new blade to use without fail. He had been wounded, shot, cut apart, and blasted by explosions, but his body had healed from greater wounds before and easily would again. The Crimson Death would not yield, and neither would Vainia’s nation of Shorica. The bodies were scattered apart recklessly, all killed by one savage form of mutilation or the other. In passing, Taoris pulled free two longswords that had fatally impaled a soldier. Swinging them lightly for a moment, he slid their handles into his belt, allowing them both to stay upright by their guards. He walked in silence, and arrived at one of the tallest surviving towers with silence. Snow had lightly covered the ground in time since Taoris arrived at the eastern Shorican lands, and most of the trees in the large Wilds to the north had long ago lost their leaves. From the vantage point of the various crumbling towers found in the countryside, one could see for miles in the usually dense forest. Where there were once entire swathes of land aggressively colored in shades of dark green, there were now only dry skeletons of life, reaching towards an azure sky paler than it ever was. He looked to the west, and saw only further ruin. For a short period of time, the Inusians assaulted him with artillery. Most of the shells had missed him, though a few nicked him or damaged his clothes. Though he came through the shelling relatively unharmed, the land around did not, and melancholy craters dominated much of the countryside he took defense of. Not only that, the village of Troia was destroyed almost instantly. Months ago, Taoris set fire to a large portion of the town as a way to spite Silverius, during their very first battle. Once again, because of his direct actions, destruction had returned to the city and its people. ‘Only death can pay for life,’ he thought. He pushed a piece of hair from his face and blinked away a stray snowflake as it drifted into his eye. There was nothing to see from the west, so he turned back to the east with his head held high and his hands curled into fists. On the horizon, just barely visible amongst the dense clouds of the storm, an airship approached. More bluecoats were aboard, for sure. Taoris smiled and started walking towards the edge of the tower. His new swords were in his hands and spinning with anticipation before even a second had passed. ‘Good,’ the Crimson Death thought to himself, ‘I needed something to distract me from my thoughts. This will do just fine.’ ***** “So the time has come at last. War on Inusia – and the world as a whole.” Martessa di Sabine sighed, holding her arms beneath her chest in a close self-embrace. “I can’t say I didn’t see this coming, but… perhaps not so soon.” “Embrace it,” Martessa’s queen said strongly. “I have died and I have lived, but I will not stop existing until my purpose on this earth has been fulfilled.” Vainia turned towards her small audience with a determined frown. “This war is why I was born.” Vainia, along with the Revolutionary Council, the leader of the Eternal Corps, and maid slash ambassador Asearya Jyukyu all stood in her throne room. Every door and window in the chamber was closed, and the newly returned queen personally made sure there were no spies or observers to her private meeting. The queen stood atop the ruins of her throne, her feet planted firmly on a large golden platform. Apparently the debris had been cleared from the throne room and re-fashioned into a short podium of sorts; it mattered not. She had her arms crossed as well, and wore a deep red cape over her shoulders to compliment her black shorts, tights, and shirt. She cut a sharp figure as she glared down at some of the most influential people within her country. “Where is Veit?” she asked bluntly. “Is this really the time to worry about that brute?” Baron Kamanus Casvaal frowned with distaste. “The entire city heard your boasts out there. It won’t be long before word gets to Inusia, so it would be in our best interest to have a solid plan ironed out as soon as possible, don’t you think?” “I already have a plan,” Vainia responded, “but I don’t remember asking anything about that, Baron Casvaal.” Kamanus looked up to Vainia with a wounded frown, and she returned his look with one of icy stoicism. “I asked where my Knight is. Constantus Veit. Where is he?” Tasshon cleared his throat and waved away his identical red cloak from in front of him. “Knight Veit was last seen near the border,” he answered simply. “Was he now…?” Vainia paused and bit her lip. “I see. So he was one step ahead of me the entire time… How very like him.” For just a moment, she smiled. “Thanks to his efforts, then, it will be possible to go forward with my plans. We must give him thanks when we see him next.” “So… What exactly are your plans, Lady Vainia?” Razmid asked after a muffled yawn. Two meetings and a speech in one day was taking its toll on the Baron of Treasury. As an afterthought, he stammered and looked down. “Er, Queen Vainia, I mean. Sorry…” “Such name changes are trivialities.” Vainia waved away his concerns. “My plans are simple. We will have all available and able men gather in the east and we will march into Inusia. A frontal assault, going through the north. We will take Morshia, King’s Town, and establish my kingdom in Castle Kornelia. From there, expansion can occur naturally.” The throne room immersed entirely in silence for a long minute before erupting with outbursts. “W-what? You’re not serious, are you, Queen Vainia?!” “My lady… Such boldness…!” “How can we attack? With what resources? Even our surprise attack was a failure…!” “…So this is your plan. It fits you…” “I knew it! You’ve gone insane!” “Could it truly be done?” “To attack Inusia… No matter how I look at it, I just can’t…” Vainia closed her eyes. “That is quite enough!” she said, loud enough to pierce through the cacophony of noise and silence all those in the vicinity. Once the room settled into silence once again, she looked at every attending member with unchanging ferocity. “It can be done, and it will be done. Although I tried to force my mind onto other things, I spent almost every waking moment of the past fifty days going over various plans, and this one is the only option with a viable success rate.” “A gamble like this is…incredible,” Razmid said with a sigh. “Completely unpredictable… almost crazy. And it’ll definitely be expensive…” Jütenas nodded in response to the Baron of Treasury. “In other words, no one except for Lady Vainia could have come up with it. And that’s why it will work.” “Exactly,” Vainia said with another hint of a smile. “The Inusians – no, the entire world – believes that I am dead and Shorica has been crippled, retreating within itself like a litter of beaten dogs. Undoubtedly the Inusians have been halfheartedly attempting to seize the nation through the east… and undoubtedly they have been held back by Veit, my Knight. For him to fight alone makes it seem like he has no master anymore, which means my plan only increases in effective magnitude.” “Sure, it might be unpredictable, but only because we are defeated! We’ve lost almost all of our airships, and every nation in the world has forsaken us. There are even organizations growing that seek to return control of the country to Inusia. If we couldn’t invade a fortress by surprise, there’s no way we can invade an entire country in broad daylight!” Kamanus glared up at Vainia, his hands outstretched and grasping for understanding. Next to him, Martessa and Tlerius Rin both frowned in agreement. “The boy is right,” the leader of the Eternal Corps reluctantly said. His hair had grayed more while Vainia had been gone, and now strands of black hair on his head were rare. “Our forces are lessened, yet still disciplined. However… We have no usable airships, and no way to surprise the Inusians. The idea of an invasion is almost ridiculous.” “We may not have the manpower of Inusia,” Vainia said simply, “but we have more power than they do. I do, at least.” “Lady Vainia… you would fight on the front lines?” Tasshon asked. “Of course. I did so at Icarun, as well. While it was a matter of respect then, I will be crucial to the fighting now, in the invasion. Without me, victory is an impossibility.” Asearya stepped forward with a lowered head, but almost shook with concern. “Lady Vainia, surely… You won’t be using that? Is it reasonable to show all the world your ability?” “It isn’t reasonable,” Martessa said with a downcast look. “It’s desperate. Futile. Not to mention, winter is upon us in full… wouldn’t it be more efficient to delay this plan until spring arrives?” “It is not reasonable, but it is necessary.” Vainia sighed. “We have survived these past fifty days because of your hard work and dedication. My own foolishness and reluctance has only intensified danger for millions. Now, I will hesitate no longer. We will achieve the goal deigned for us by the stars. If we wait any longer… we will not see the spring, I fear.” “Even so… Your ability, Lady Vainia…” Asearya looked up and pleaded to her queen with a gaze of fear, but the queen nodded at her servant with powerful confidence. “Forgive me, Asearya, but it is pointless to have power and not use it.” She looked over the other members attending the conference. “There is a reason you all are the only ones hearing my goals directly. Do you know what that reason may be?” Jütenas stepped forward confidently, with her hands curled into tight fists hovering over his chest. “We pledged our lives to your cause, and we swore that we would help you create the world you desire. In return, you promised that we would always be under your protection, and that the new order would be ideal for us and our dreams.” As Jütenas turned and noticed Razmid’s eyebrow raised in surprise, the Baron of Foreign Affairs blushed and took a step back again. At least, that’s how I interpreted our contract.” “No, no, you are correct.” Vainia yawned and sat down to a squat atop the golden platform. “A part of that contract states that anyone who betrays me or goes against my orders will meet my full enmity, of course. That includes telling anyone about what you are about to see.” Without further ado, Vainia closed her eyes and started to whisper to herself. As she did so, her fingers began to dance and trace about in the air – and they started to glow with power. Silence hung grimly over the dim room, extending every shadow and staining every observer’s face with disbelief and wonder. The only calm one was Vainia, even as the air around her began to change. A violet circle appeared on the ground beneath Vainia’s golden platform, and within it were countless ancient symbols that were completely illegible to its onlookers. The purple light was especially bright directly beneath the block of golden seastone – and it intensified as the platform began to rise in the air. Beneath the platform and spiraling all around it were incredibly small runes, flitting and organically teasing about in the air as they rose and fused all around the still calm queen. After only five seconds of building and moving, the runes suddenly paused and seemed to melt in place, creating a smooth violet surface over what they had created in their undulations. Once the action was completed, the light of the violet circle faded, as did the manifestation of power itself. The circle had created a violet throne, much taller and more extravagant than the previous golden one had ever been. Sitting atop its seat with her legs crossed was Queen Vainia Sestrum, looking down on those in front of her with her arms folded in her lap. “As you have seen, I have the power of creation.” She held out her left hand, still glowing with mystical power. Silver runic chains were wrapped all around her arm; as she opened her hand, the chains slithered forward and compacted on each other countlessly in the air, until they formed a long and shining silver rapier. Vainia grasped it tightly. “Creation, and destruction.” “The Crystal,” Tasshon said with a furrowed brow. He raised a tentative hand over his mouth. “The same power you used when we landed at Shorica… It must have been the Crystal that gifted it to you.” “Close enough,” Vainia concluded as she let her left hand open and fall to her lap again. The runic blade vanished. “The Crystal intensifies my power, I’ve found, but it is an ability I learned myself, in Zeta Academy. The Crystals are the source of this power – and I am not the only one with it, nor am I the only one with plans to use it.” “Wait… Lady Vainia, what are you saying?” Martessa, too, looked heavily in thought, but Vainia’s words finally caused her to speak. “Phenicks, once the capital of Shorica, was completely eradicated with a power that could only have originated from a Crystal. Zeta Academy and its entire population was wiped out with a chemical power that, again, could have only originated from a Crystal.” Vainia’s eyes narrowed. “Both incidents were orchestrated by the World Government – by Inusia. Now that I have the power to contest their injustice and slaughters… I must use it. This war is righteous, and inevitable.” “War is war, my queen,” Tlerius Rin said with a shadow over his eyes. The silver-cloaked man stepped forward gingerly. “Regardless if it is righteous or not… war takes lives on both sides of a battlefield. You’re absolutely sure that a war is still our best option? Our only option?” “As a matter of fact, yes, I do.” Notably, the princess started to shake and visibly seethe. “The Inusians manipulated and killed my own family in our own home, and they tried to do the same to me. They caused Nneoh’s betrayal in Icarun, where men of yours and my own command were slaughtered. Inusians killed all of my classmates and supporters in Zeta Academy, simply because I was there. They razed Phenicks to the ground in an effort to put a stop to my political ambitions. They hold every nation in the world beneath them, forcing them to smile in their servitude. They seek even now to invade our own borders and slit our throats, and you ask if retaliation is our only option?” Tlerius swallowed hard and stepped back to his original spot. He said nothing more. “It is time at last to establish my empire. Yes, there will be casualties. Yes, there will be resistance. Yes, it will be difficult, but it will succeed. I shall succeed. We shall succeed.” Vainia stood up and pushed herself up with the help of her throne’s armrests. Now with her feet on the seat of her mystic chair, she stood at an impossible height, towering over everyone in attendance with her arms crossed and her face solemn. “So it shall be. Baron el Divrus, I want 90 percent of my troops mobilized and prepared for a march immediately.” “Yes, of course. For the Queen’s glory.” Baron Tasshon el Divrus of War slammed his fist against his chest in the affirmative statement of Vainia’s army before turning to leave the throne room. Vainia spoke again when the door closed behind Tasshon. “Baron di Sabine, you will be accompanying me on the invasion, for advising. Prepare your belongings.” “As you wish, my queen.” Martessa bowed slightly before leaving the dim chamber. “Baron Arensten, you will be staying in Shorekeep to handle all government affairs while I am away. Baron Kinandorf, you will aid him. I trust you two know how essential your jobs are.” “Of course.” Jütenas replied. Razmid nodded gravely. Without any other words, the two turned and left. “Leader Rin, I wish for two Eternal Corps members to stay behind in the city to guard it from any threats. The rest of you will be acting as a unit to seek and destroy that rebellious group Baron Casvaal mentioned earlier. You will all leave once the army has left the city.” “…Your will shall be done,” Rin said with downcast eyes, “but surely you wish for at least one silver cloak to stay near you and watch over you in the invasion? Your safety is our principal goal, my queen.” “That will not be necessary,” Vainia answered with surprising gentleness. “I have a feeling I will encounter my Knight as we march. He will be all the protection I need.” “Very well,” Rin replied reluctantly. “For the Queen’s glory!” Like Tasshon, the tall gray-haired man slapped a fist against his chest before solemnly leaving the throne room. Only three bodies remained in the throne room, now. Asearya started walking towards Vainia’s throne with a smile as the queen spoke once more. “You, Baron Casvaal, will be following me in the invasion, as well,” she boomed. “Prepare yourself. I will need you to be sharp, as you are another crucial advisor I will need.” “What’s the point of an advisor when you won’t listen to what they say? You think I want you to die or something, or to lose? I do all that I do for you, Lady Vainia. For your kingdom.” "I know of your sincerity, Baron Casvaal. Truly, I do.” Vainia’s expression softened as she allowed herself to sit in her throne once again. Asearya stood to Vainia’s side, her arms wrapped around the queen’s neck and her limber hands massaging her chest. Vainia let out a deep breath. “This is simply a field I will not be dissuaded from.” “Do you know what they call rulers who follow only their own authority?” Kamanus looked to the queen with his signature steel frown. “Tyrants.” Vainia smiled. “Perfect.” ***** Her final preparations halted once Tasshon told her that her men would not march. “What?” Vainia said, turning around and dropping the cape that was about to be pinned to her shoulders. Asearya, standing behind her, picked up the cape and looked up to Tasshon with her mouth in a tight line. “The men, my queen. They… They aren’t moving.” The Baron of War wore his pristine black Revolutionary Council military uniform, yet his red cloak was still quite tattered. Although he was more than a foot taller than Vainia, he stood with his back bent and his head down in the wake of the queen’s imminent wrath. “They are outside of the city in formation as you ordered, but the vanguard has yet to follow their move command, and the forces behind them show no signs of impatience.” “So… Is something stopping the vanguard? Have the Inusians attacked us in secret?” Vainia squinted in confusion, her hands quietly curling into small fists. “No, I’m afraid not. They simply… won’t move.” The self-made queen of Shorica stood in place, her countenance frozen in thought, before she suddenly turned and started to walk. “Come,” she said as she left her chamber. “I must exchange words with my army.” Her maid and her Baron of War glanced at each other hesitantly before following Vainia out of the Black Castle. All of the Eternal Corps members, save the two staying behind to guard Baron Kinandorf and Baron Arensten, stood by the gates of the Castle, waiting to escort Vainia out of the city. Only a day had passed since she had ordered and organized the movement of her forces, and thanks in part to the preparations conducted secretly over her absence, the army had been organized in an incredibly swift amount of time. The city’s populace had been notified of the movements; the people had been supportive of her ambitions, on the surface, at least. They had never openly defied her after she forcefully took over Shorekeep months ago, but that was because most of the force that invaded with her had seen her miraculous survival of the destruction of Phenicks. Now it appeared that they had forgotten who she was, and started to act in defiance of her wishes. ‘That is just fine,’ she thought to herself as she walked briskly down the quiet Shorekeep streets. ‘I will show them who their queen is, and what happens if they defy me.’ Tlerius Rin stepped quickly up to Vainia, his silver fur-collared cloak billowing vigorously behind him. “My Queen,” he said breathlessly, “please, do not do anything rash.” “Rash?” Vainia called back, her breath coming much quicker thanks to the briskness of her stride. “I do not know what you could mean, Leader Rin.” “You know exactly what I mean,” the middle-aged man growled. He caught up to the queen and looked down at her with a hardened jaw and protruding cheekbones. “You’re not exactly known for your controlled temper… and we can’t do much of anything with an army that despises you.” “On the contrary, Leader Rin, it is better to be feared than loved. That is to say, I couldn’t care less about my soldier’s opinions of me. I know that what I am doing is righteous, and I also know that I absolutely not tolerate anyone who disobeys my word.” She crossed her arms and looked up to Rin. “Why did you join my army, Leader Rin?” “Me?” The Leader of the Eternal Corps frowned and cleared his throat. “I was a sailor with wealth, until Inusian military tests destroyed all of my property ‘on accident’. When the Shorican government did nothing to defend my interests, I became a smuggler to survive, but I couldn’t resist the chance to fight back when I heard about your cause.” He looked down to Vainia again. “Why do you ask?” “I just wanted to make sure that you are fighting for me because you know that Inusia thinks only of the advancement of its leaders, and nothing of the rest of the world. You joined me out of no personal love for me at all, as I suspected.” “Er…” The man looked away and cleared his throat. “At first, I suppose, but since then, I’ve come to greatly admire you, of course…” “I am glad. But you of all people should have no qualms with me showing my soldiers what my real interest is – the destruction of Inusia. They must be reminded, and whether or not they love me, they will fight if they share the same cause as I. And anyone who doesn’t share my cause is my enemy.” Tlerius slowed in his stride and let out a deep breath. Vainia, Tasshon, and Asearya continued to walk ahead of him, and the other six Corps members kept pace behind him. The Leader scowled and rubbed his upper lip. “What a handful of a queen we have,” he muttered with a faint smile. Vainia arrived in front of the city in an hour. Outside of the gates to her city she could see her army, standing in pristine formation for what appeared to be miles of distance. Thousands of men, all loyal to her – in name and oath, but not in action. The army froze and went deathly silent once the gates closed behind her and her close entourage. She looked straight forward, her face as stone still as a statue, but the short queen could feel every eye in range staring at her, trembling. ‘They will have good reason to tremble,’ she thought to herself. Vainia turned her body towards Asearya, who still held her heavy cape in her arms, and nodded at her with a frown. As she turned back, the maid stepped forward and dutifully started to fasten the lapels of the decorative cloth around her queen’s shoulders, only pausing in the middle of it to hand her queen a small bottle of water. Vainia nodded in gratitude and drank it quickly. Once the cape was securely fastened around her shoulders, Vainia dramatically unsheathed her rapier. The sound of metal drew the full attention of the soldiers, and some of them broke formation to turn back and stare at her. She made eye contact with none of them, and instead started to walk slowly forward with her chin held high and her sword held strongly out to her side. Her entourage followed at the same pace. It took her another thirty minutes to arrive at the head of her forces. Unlike the rest of the infantry, the vanguard all stood completely still in pristine formation, likely too afraid or defiant to glance at her. Vainia waved at her group to stand in front of the vanguard; she continued to walk for another twenty paces. Once she had arrived at her arbitrary destination, Vainia turned and waved her free hand in front of her, fingertips glowing with power. There, in front of her entire army, Vainia summoned all of her runic power to create a violet throne, more massive than anything she had ever created. The seat grew taller than she was and its adornments awe-inducing despite all being one color and covered in unintelligible ancient symbols. As the throne manifested behind her and she stood atop its seat, the circle beneath her continued to grow in diameter, and the throne grew higher and higher. Gasps, whispers, and stunned silence rippled throughout the ranks of her army, and still her throne continued to rise into the air, until she was able to see most of the army and still be heard in the front. Only then did Vainia stay her hand and halt the creation of her throne, and only then did she clear her throat loudly. “I have been told that you will not march!” Despite her towering height, the queen’s voice was still booming and commanding, and it was enough to bring total silence back to the ranks of her stunned soldiers. “That you openly disobey my orders to move. I find it… amusing.” The orderly formation had been completely abandoned. Every soldier in front of Shorekeep stood with wide eyes and a slack jaw, staring up at her with bated breath and fear in their hearts. Even the Eternal Corps and her Barons looked unhinged; Vainia smiled and took it in stride. “Let me ask you all – are you tired of war?” After a moment of hesitation, a resounding roar rippled through the crowd, all in agreeance and affirmation. Vainia nodded. “I am, as well. For those of you who do not know, war has crippled my home nation of Mortis. War has caused me to see my parents dying in front of my eyes. War destroyed my home, and the city of Phenicks, and many of your homes and loved ones as well. Have you all forgotten that?” The multitude hushed. “You seem to have forgotten quite many crucial facts. Allow me to remind you all of a few. “Our enemy is Inusia. It has always been Inusia, whether you are Shorican, Mortisian, or Inusian yourselves! The ruthless military leaders holding power in Inusia have been ruling their empire and manipulating every nation for hundreds of years! They have effectively crushed Mortis! They have been leeching off Shorica and its people for as long as anyone can remember! They have been acting with disinterest towards their own people since the beginning of their empire! They are our enemy! “I do not mean to say you should slaughter your Inusian friends or family. If that is why you stay your sword – be consumed with truth! I order that we destroy every inch of Inusian institution that exists to oppress and to trample. I say that all traces of Inusian superiority be ripped down, and that all the world grows independent of its tyranny. I say this to all, and indeed you all stand from many different origins – any sane Inusian soldier, when they know my origins and my power, will follow your lead! Do not slay your bretheren. Have them join you! Inusia is the enemy of all the world! “You are all tired of war. I am tired of war! I am tired of seeing my comrades and family die before me! But I am more tired of oppression, of failures, and of having to call another nation my masters! The weight of thousands of years of defeats – grueling, detestable, abominable defeats – weighs heavily on my mind, my body, and my soul! I spent more than fifty days in isolation, away from the city and the people that I love, because I was so tired of war and the deaths! Yet I could not keep away. I could never leave, not until my destiny has been fulfilled or I have taken my last breath. Too many people have died because of Inusian interests. Too much innocent blood has been spilled. I am finished with it! “Fifty days of isolation, and four years of betrayal. How many of you know that I, once the princess of Mortis, spent four years studying in Inusia? I was a student of Zeta Academy, and I saw firsthand the vain waste that was Inusian life. They have power; knowledge; wealth; food; stability; intelligence. Yet they waste it all in vain efforts! They spent their entire lives learning how to profit off others, or how to swindle their brothers, or how to rise in social status for their own benefits. What use is there in a life spent stepping on the spines of others? What use is power if it is used needlessly? What use is wisdom if not explored and indulged in? You see, I spent four years immersing myself in Inusia, hoping every day that I would find some other truth. That I would find a way to justify my doubts, or that I would find out that Inusia was not our enemy all along, and that it was the fault of the oppressed for not rising up on the strength of their legs. This, too, was vain – for I found no such evidence. I found only waste, and waste, and waste! “You will not march, as if I was your enemy, forcing you to leave your homes with groans, screams, and kicks. I have spent my entire life oppressed by Inusia, just as much as you all were! I could not be your enemy, for I fight for the same cause that has been ingrained in your very blood! I am your ally! I am your queen! No, I could never be your enemy! “Your enemy is Inusia! If you thought to stay here, in the city, so that they will not attack us – be consumed with truth! Inusians bombed the capital city of Mortis, killing thousands, even though the King and Queen of Mortis never mobilized aggressively! They will do the same to us, and without any hesitation! Will you wait here, in your precious sea city, until death comes to you? I will not! I will not allow you to! “If you believe that I seek only to march you to your deaths – be consumed with truth! Never would I command an attack that I did not think would succeed. We only failed at Icarun because of the wicked betrayal of the Nneonians, and even that only occurred because they, too, are controlled by Inusia. We cannot hope to find other allies in the world when our enemy controls all of the world. We are the last hope for independence and freedom! “If you refrain from marching out of fear or disbelief in my words – be consumed with truth! I will march in the front lines, and I will meet every enemy before any of you do! I will not my army be decimated in vain! I helped with the effort to liberate Phenicks, and I took hold of Shorekeep, and nothing could stop me! Our first attack will be in Morshia City, and I swear to you all that I will lay waste to its resistances without a single death! I say it to the winds, to you all, and to the world itself. Not a single man or woman in front of me will die before Morshia has been crushed by my heel. “If you do not believe we can win – be consumed with truth! We have been defeated at Icarun, that much is true. We have less troops and firepower than Inusia, that much is true. We have no elements of surprise, that much is true. But we have thousands of years of defeats engraved in us, and we have the power of gods! Look upon me and marvel at my power! This is the power of magic, left hidden for millennia – in Inusian hands! They tried to kill us in Phenicks, and then they tried to kill me in Zeta and in Empiria, but they cannot kill me! Not now that I have the very power they used against us! The Inusians held the power for too long, and it is time we steal it and take back our lands! Our homes! Our world! “I have been told you will not march, yet your enemy plots in front of you! You will not march, though your queen walks on the front lines, fearless! You will not march, though your new home behind you, built by your own hands, stands in danger! You will not march, though the time for our eternal liberation awaits! No, I will not accept that! You will march!” Vainia pointed her sword to the east, and a deafening roar exploded from her army. The vanguard rushed forward at a sprint, and the infantry soon moved forward with equal excitement and organization. As her forces ran past her towering throne, Vainia gathered her breath and held her sword forward stalwartly. As the army continued to move endlessly, she screamed one last time, and every soldier replied with a yell just as spirited. “Let us create our own eternal empire!” ...End of Part Forty-Five. <- Previous Page | Main Page | Next Page ->